BLOG
Has the COVID-19 Pandemic Ruined Your High School Junior’s College Admission Process?
If you are concerned about putting together a great application, the colleges understand your worries and are also worried about you. But what they care about is not that you try to dazzle them in your application in the same way that you may have been thinking about just a few weeks ago. Rather, they want you to focus on staying healthy and being the best student you can be.
Has the World of College Admission Changed Forever?
In between watching another breaking news alert, responding to emails, staying in touch with students, family, and friends through Zoom, and taking the dog for another long walk, I am getting a lot of questions from worried students and families about how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact their college admission journey.
An “Optional” College Application Requirement—Is It Really Optional?
One of the qualities of undergraduate education in the United States I appreciate is that our system of higher education is a marketplace of different college options. The beauty of this system is that there are many opportunities to find colleges that fit an individual student’s needs and interests. For the most part, students do…
Applying to College as an Introvert: Letter of Recommendation
This is my third post addressing the college admissions process for introverts. The last two posts in this series addressed extracurricular activities and the admissions interview. Let’s now turn to the letter of recommendation. As an introvert myself, I’ve had to ask many people to write letters of recommendation for me when I applied to graduate schools, jobs, and other opportunities. And I believe that introverted students face particular challenges in thinking about letters of recommendation for their applications.
Applying to College as an Introvert: Admission Interview
As I mentioned in my last post, “Applying to College as an Introvert: Extracurricular Activities,” introverted students sometimes feel that they are disadvantaged in the college application process, especially where extracurricular activities are concerned. In this post, I would like to discuss how to approach admissions office interviews.
Applying to College as an Introvert: Extracurricular Activities
Recently, I was sitting across the desk from a parent and student whose transcript was filled with excellent grades and rigorous courses. The student enjoyed school and had SAT scores that were well above average.
The Three Most Important Things to Consider When Applying to College – Redux
As an experienced college admission counselor, I think about applying to college all the time! In my blogs, I have listed many of the “most important things to consider”—probably too many times. I also visit a lot of colleges, as often as I can. A recent visit to Depauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, led me…
How Can You Apply to College If Your Room Is a Mess?
When I was in elementary school, I had an extraordinary opportunity to attend a sleepaway camp that specialized in competitive downhill snow skiing. The coaches were some of the most accomplished ski racers in Europe and the United States. While I have the fondest memories of spending time on the mountain, challenging myself to fly down the slopes faster and faster each day, what I remember most is a curious exchange that happened toward the end of my time at camp.
The Third Rule of Applying to College
Students and parents often ask me the following: What SAT score do I need to get into a good college? Should I take three or four AP classes in my senior year? I’m no longer interested in this extracurricular activity, so if I switch to this other extracurricular activity is that okay? How many students…
The Second Rule of Applying to College
In my previous post, I wrote about “The First Rule of Applying to College”: getting enough sleep. This rule puts a premium on finding the balance between pursuing admission to desirable colleges and maintaining one’s mental and physical health. Pushing oneself to extremes where sleep, well-being, and mental or physical health are jeopardized is not…